On Thursday, 13th July 2023, we hosted NBA champion and Greek Nigerian, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, in a basketball clinic organised in collaboration with Flour Mills of Nigeria. The event aimed to celebrate basketball and empower young minds through the positive influence of sports. Flour Mills of Nigeria, represented by the Group Director of Strategy & Stakeholder Relations, Mr Sadiq Usman, expressed their commitment to fostering inspiration among children by partnering with our school and bringing Thanasis Antetokounmpo to engage with students.
The basketball clinic commenced with an enlightening session, where Thanasis shared his journey and development as a basketball player. He emphasised the importance of discipline, hard work, and sacrifice in achieving success in the game of basketball. Encouraging the students, he said, “It’s not just about the drills; it’s about your body. Once you begin to play, you must be disciplined and ready to make sacrifices.”
Our students, alongside students from two other schools in Lekki, eagerly participated in a Q&A session with the NBA star, asking thought-provoking questions about his remarkable journey in basketball. Following the interactive session, he joined the kids on the courts, engaging in skill-building drills and friendly games. The exceptional players, which comprised some of our students, were given the opportunity to challenge him one-on-one in both offence and defence.
Reflecting on his experience, Thanasis, who was making his first-ever visit to Nigeria, expressed gratitude to us for hosting him and praised our exceptional facilities. He said, “Thank you for opening your home to me. I had an amazing time with the kids, and I am very motivated to continue doing this. My main purpose for coming here was to inspire the kids and show them that becoming a basketball star is possible. Greensprings School was the perfect venue for the basketball clinic, with its outstanding facilities and dedication to nurturing students from ages 2 to 18.”
Our Executive Director, Mrs Lai Koiki, also spoke about the event’s significance, stating, “Today, we are honoured to welcome basketball superstar Thanasis, who is here to leave a legacy of mentoring young students. The interaction with him provided our students with valuable insights and tips for achieving success. We are excited about this partnership with Flour Mills of Nigeria and hope it will foster a lasting interest in basketball among our students.”
The basketball clinic proved to be a resounding success, leaving a positive impact on the students and reinforcing the power of sports in inspiring young minds.
